Whether the defending Super Bowl champion can repeat remains to be seen. After Thursday's 14-9 win over the Vikings, they appear to have a good chance at winning another division title, with QB Drew Brees, above, leading an offense that cracked 500 points last season (510). The question will be on defense, as it'll be difficult for the Saints to be as opportunistic as last year (39 takeaways, 26 interceptions), which helped mask their 26th-ranked pass defense. The secondary will have to step up because it'll be without All-Pro FS Darren Sharper for at least part of the season as he recovers from microfracture knee surgery.

Atlanta Falcons

2009 record: 9-7

QBMatt Ryan should continue to get better, entering his third NFL season. But what the Falcons need is for RB Michael Turner to look more like he did in 2008 (1,699 yards, 17 TDs) than last year (871 yards), when he missed five games with a high ankle sprain. Atlanta could use a bounceback season from DE John Abraham, whose production fell from 16½ sacks in 2008 to 5½ in 2009. After all, the Falcons' 28 sacks ranked 26th in the NFL last season, and they'll need more pressure if they want to stop Drew Brees & Co. Acquiring free agent CB Dunta Robinson, above, from the Texans should help, considering the caliber of receivers they'll face.

Carolina Panthers

2009 record: 8-8

The Panthers boast arguably the top running back tandem in the NFL in Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams (just ask the Bucs). Each reached 1,100 yards in 2009, taking advantage of a solid offensive line. And Carolina will need to run the ball to keep pressure off young QB Matt Moore, above, who was a pleasant surprise last season (4-1 as a starter) but, with just 16 career NFL games, is still a bit unproven. Other than veteran WR Steve Smith, the Panthers don't have many potent weapons in the passing game. In an offseason that featured plenty of changes, including the end of the Jake Delhomme era, the Panthers lost one of their top defensive playmakers in DE Julius Peppers, who signed with the Bears.

There is a reason why the air in Tampa Bay is filled with playoff talk. If Thursday night's 12-8 Bucs preseason win over the Jaguars is any indication, it's also going to be filled with footballs thrown by quarterback Jameis Winston.

TORONTO — Two pitches RHP Chris Archer didn't execute are the ones that stood out Thursday as Josh Donaldson hit them out of the park. But the two solo home runs aside, Archer turned in a sterling outing that went atop the pile of good pitching the Rays keep wasting.

CLEARWATER — Tracey Fritzinger has seen Tim Tebow play baseball a few times this year. The 40-year-old St. Petersburg resident went to two of his games against the Tampa Yankees, along with Joy, her little sister from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.